2010: Beginning of the end for Brady/Moss tandem?

In considering this year of football, there are a lot of question marks, most of them related back to the uncertain labour forecast brought on by the failure of the player’s union and team owner’s to hash out another collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

For New England Patriot fans, the biggest question marks revolve around Tom Brady and Randy Moss – and their looming free agency in 2011 (left guard Logan Mankins was also a question mark, but as he has made his feelings about the Patriots abundantly clear to all, he can now be considered a period – as in “he is going to be traded. Period.”)

Moss has been extremely vocal this offseason, first saying at a charity baseball game in April that since the Pats “don’t pay”, he didn’t think he’d remain in a Flying Elvis helmet past the end of the 2010 season. Those sentiments have been echoed by Moss since then as well – but he’s refrained from making disparaging remarks against the organization, reiterating that he understand contracts are “just business” and that he plans to play this upcoming season for that elusive Super Bowl title he has yet to add to his stellar NFL resume.

Then there’s Brady, the anti-Randy Moss. While the QB’s favourite target is talking about his contract future, Brady has remained mostly silent, only revealing to the media that he’s “going with the flow” when it comes to negotiations. Of course the sensationalists among us have latched on to that silence and extrapolated that it indicates #12 is not happy with his current state of affairs in New England.

In rebuttal to such an idea, Pats owner Robert Kraft has said time and again that Brady is going to remain a part of the team’s future – but what of Moss? Kraft has only acknowledged that Moss is a savvy businessman himself and as much as the Pats’ patriarch would like to keep seeing Randy out-play defensive backs come Sundays, he knows Moss will do what’s best for himself and his family.

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So if there is, say, a 90% chance that Brady remains the face of the Patriots, there is a slimmer chance – say only 50% - that Moss will continue to be his first-look receiver.

What does that mean for the Patriots’ future, especially in as pass-heavy a league as the NFL has become? Well, there are a few things that could help lessen the blow to the club of losing their #1 receiver.

• Get a run game. Yes, this is in direct opposition to the above statement that the League is pass-heavy. But there is a difference between pass-heavy and pass-dependent and the Patriots have turned into the latter. Laurence Maroney dancing around for a 1 – 3 yard gain every fourth play (or fumbling the ball on the goal line) is not enough. They need a running back that can truly move the ball – and move them beyond relying entirely on Brady’s right arm to secure a victory.

• Keep Welker on the bench. When Wes Welker, the Energizer bunny in human form, took to the field for OTA’s last month, jaws hit the floor. “He’ll be back week one!” proclaimed many an excited fan. Not so fast. Putting Welker in the line of fire before he’s 150% ready to be there is offensive suicide. The man takes some good licks as it is when he’s healthy; his no-holds-barred style of play demands it. Welker needs to leave the pass-catching to Moss, Edelman and Co. for as long as possible to ensure that when and if Randy Moss departs, the Pats new #1 receiver won’t be dealing with any nagging problems brought on by his too-speedy return.

• Stop squirreling away draft picks. Bill Belicheck, genius that he is, has become like a furry woodland creature, hording his draft picks year after year, saving them for a rainy day only he knows the date of. Rookies are all well and good, but they generally don’t blow anyone’s mind their first year out of the gate. And teams hoping to add to their jewelry collections at football’s big show need as many players as possible busting out on the field. The Pats have almost two-dozen first and second year players on the team. If Moss bids farewell to Foxborough and free agency doesn’t bring his successor to Gillette Stadium’s doorstep, Coach better be prepared to use one of his highly prized picks to pry away at least a marginally suitable (aka veteran) replacement to work opposite Welker.

So as 2010 rolls into the season and as Patriot fans everywhere begin to ponder their football existence without ever hearing “Brady steps back, looking for Moss, he throws, caught, TOUCHDOWN!” again, these are a few thoughts to keep in mind. And they act as a reminder to enjoy watching these two great players work – just in case you need a happy memory to go back to when you see them playing in someone else’s uniform next September.

By: Kristen Shilton
ProFootball-fans.com New England Patriots Correspondent